This year's GCSE maths.....

[BertrandRussell]

My ds's maths teacher has just told me that the 7000 odd schools that did the new maths GCSE as mocks recently achieved a modal score of 11% for paper 1. 11% ? Surely not!!!!!!

Just look at the spec rather than ask the student.

Or believe the maths teacher who's just posted...

DD just got paper 3 back, altogether she got 104 which was bizarrely exactly the same as her November grade. She's been marked as a 5 but teacher said it was pretty much a 6 not sure how she knows though...

'Madhairday' that is really good and ur DD teachers right because 90/240 is a 5 that's definitely a 6 that's wat my DS school are predicting.
I would be really over the moon if my ds gets a 5 on his gcse hes at a 4 with extra work hopefully he should get a 5+

Noble. Raw scores on paper one 14/80, paper 2 10/80, and paper 3 13/80.

Thanks Noble.

Blimey, sofa, so your DD sat exams for four and a half hours and came out with 37 marks out of 240 and the school think that this is the appropriate tier of entry? How totally demoralising for your DD. I think they are also playing a risky game regarding the possibility of students getting a U.

Edexcel suggests that students scoring 10 or less on an individual paper should switch to Foundation, and also suggested this should be considered for anyone getting a total less than 44.

Whether the school considers it easier to get a 3 on the higher paper or not (how on earth would they know when no one knows?) they should also be considering the mathematical experience for your DD and in this case, it's a pretty rubbish one.

Yup. She sat the foundation papers for the first set of mocks.

I think that the problem is, in class she is pretty capable working around an old B. It just doesn't portray in her math exams

What did she get on the foundation papers?

35 38 and 46

So why the bloody hell did they switch her to higher? I'm honestly baffled.

The only thing they said was she had a better chance of a good grade.

They're going against exam board advice and risking her dropping to a U.

Sofa - my friend is a Maths Tutor and in her experience it was easier to get a C in the higher papers than a C in the Foundation papers - this year she has changed her advice - higher papers are crushing to her lower ability kids.

Sigh its all such a mess. They made half her year sit the Maths GCSE last year. So they've already taken the top scorers away. So i dont think they have a good range for judgement.

She has a maths tutor as i was desperate to pick her up a little her maths tutor isnt worried. But does say its crazy at this point to switch her to higher when she has been taught foundation.

Have you considered contacting the school and asking that she be switched back to Foundation on the basis of her poor showing at Higher?

I think I'm going to have to! Especially as she is missing loads of education at the moment due to a medical condition.

Oh no, what bad timing. Yes, ask for a switch to foundation, the last thing she needs is for her confidence to be bashed on top of illness.

Ds did 2 edxcel maths exam papers that his teacher gave the children to do 1 non-calculator and 1 calculator.
It's been marked and he's got 33/80 & 27/80 on the other a bit of improvement still alot to learn he needs atleast a grade 5 getting worried now it's just that the questions are very hard to understand

The teacher Said my ds needs 35 on all 3 papers for a solid grade 5

I'm assuming this is higher tier, Happy

Personally, I think that the teacher has set that grade boundary for a 5 way too high and your DS will be fine.

I hope so *Noble it's higher that my ds is doing any idea how much does he need approximately on each paper?

Unfortunately that's the million dollar question! I think it's more likely to be in the 20s than the 30s (that's where my school has put the 5 boundary) if the real things are as difficult as the mocks.

On a more practical note, there are some good revision tips and websites for maths in the OP of this thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/2822454-Study-tips-and-websites-for-those-with-children-in-Y11

Thanks *noblegiraffe